Screen tensioning and printing frame

Claim 2

Apparatus comprising a screen tensioning and printing frame, said frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their longitudinal axes, each roller having a longitudinally extending channel on its periphery, a retainer for each channel to retain an edge portion of a screen fabric in each channel, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a screen fabric, means for applying a camber to each roller, and a dam member associated with each roller, each dam member being inwardly of its associated roller and extending between adjacent corner members so that the dam members and corner members form a dam for a printing medium to be applied through a screen fabric.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for locking each roller includes a ring having teeth engageable with teeth on a juxtaposed surface of its associated corner member.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said ring teeth include first and second concentric sets of teeth on a side face of the ring.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said camber aPplying means is an adjustable means extending between adjacent corner members so as to be parallel to its associated roller and inwardly of its associated roller.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said adjustable means for applying a camber is associated with each dam member, each dam member being hollow at least in part for accommodating an element to effect such adjustment of the camber of a roller associated with each dam member.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a flexible seal carried by each dam member on a surface thereof for sealing contact with a screen fabric.

Claim 8

Apparatus comprising a tensioning frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes, each roller having a means on its periphery to releasably retain an edge portion of a layer of flexible fabric, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a fabric, said locking means including a discrete element associated with at least one end of each roller, each of said elements having a locking portion which engages complementary locking portions on its associated roller and corner member, said locking elements being rings, each ring having teeth which constitute the locking portion of the ring, the complementary locking portions on said corner members and rollers including teeth for cooperative engagement with the teeth on said locking rings.

Claim 9

Apparatus comprising a tensioning frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes, each roller having a means on its periphery to releasably retain an edge portion of a layer of flexible fabric, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a fabric, said locking means including a discrete element associated with at least one end of each roller, each of said elements having a locking portion which engages complementary locking portions on its associated roller and corner member, said locking elements being rings, each ring having teeth which constitute the locking portion of the ring, the complementary locking portions on said corner members and rollers including teeth for cooperative engagement with the teeth on said locking rings.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said teeth on said rings include concentric sets of teeth on a side face thereof.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including means extending parallel to each roller between adjacent corner members for applying a camber to each roller.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including a dam member inwardly of each roller, each corner member including mutually perpendicular legs, each dam member having an end disposed at or adjacent the intersection of the legs on each corner member associated therewith.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said fabric retaining means includes a shallow longitudinally extending channel having oppositely disposed flanges at the mouth of the channel for retaining therein a retainer strip which is wider than the distance between the flanges.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said locking elements are sufficient in number so that each end of each roller is selectively locked to its associated corner member.

Claim 15

Apparatus comprising a dimensionally stable screen tensioning and printing frame, said frame having a plurality of dam members coupled together by corner members, a roller generally parallel to each dam member, the rollers being supported for rotation about their longitudinal axes by said corner members, each roller having a longitudinally extending channel on its periphery, a retainer foreach channel to retain an edge portion of a screen fabric in each channel, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a screen fabric, each dam member being inwardly of its associated roller and extending between adjacent corner members so that the dam members and corner members form a dam for a printing medium to be applied through a screen fabric.

Claim 16

Apparatus comprising a dimensionally stable screen tensioning and printing frame, said frame having a plurality of dam members coupled together by corner members, a roller generally parallel to each dam member, the rollers being supported for rotation about their longitudinal axes by said corner members, each roller having a longitudinally extending channel on its periphery, a retainer foreach channel to retain an edge portion of a screen fabric in each channel, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a screen fabric, each dam member being inwardly of its associated roller and extending between adjacent corner members so that the dam members and corner members form a dam for a printing medium to be applied through a screen fabric.

Claim 17

Apparatus for comprising a tensioning frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes, each roller having a means on its periphery to releasably retain an edge portion of a layer of flexible fabric, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a fabric, said locking means including a discrete element associated with at least one end of each roller, each of said Elements having a locking portion which engages complementary locking portions on its associated roller and corner member, said locking elements being rings, each ring having teeth which constitute the locking portion of the ring, the complementary locking portions on said corner members and rollers including teeth for cooperative engagement with the teeth on said locking rings, and each roller being provided with a plurality of discrete faces so as to be non-circular cross-sectioned.

Claim 18

Apparatus for comprising a tensioning frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes, each roller having a means on its periphery to releasably retain an edge portion of a layer of flexible fabric, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a fabric, said locking means including a discrete element associated with at least one end of each roller, each of said Elements having a locking portion which engages complementary locking portions on its associated roller and corner member, said locking elements being rings, each ring having teeth which constitute the locking portion of the ring, the complementary locking portions on said corner members and rollers including teeth for cooperative engagement with the teeth on said locking rings, and each roller being provided with a plurality of discrete faces so as to be non-circular cross-sectioned.

Claim 19

Apparatus comprising a tensioning frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes, each roller having a means on its periphery to releasably retain an edge portion of a layer of flexible fabric, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a fabric, said locking means including a discrete element associated with at least one end of each roller, each of said elements having a locking portion which engages complementary locking portions on its associated roller and corner member, each roller being a hollow cylindrical tube, an end plug fixedly secured to and closing each of the tubes, each end plug cooperating with a separate one of the corner members to facilitate rotation of its associated tube about the longitudinal axis thereof, and said locking means cooperating with at least one end plug of each roller and the associated member.

Claim 20

Apparatus comprising a tensioning frame having a plurality of rollers coupled together by corner members which support the rollers for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes, each roller having a means on its periphery to releasably retain an edge portion of a layer of flexible fabric, means associated with each corner member for locking each roller in a predetermined rotative position so that a desired tension may be applied to a fabric, said locking means including a discrete element associated with at least one end of each roller, each of said elements having a locking portion which engages complementary locking portions on its associated roller and corner member, each roller being a hollow cylindrical tube, an end plug fixedly secured to and closing each of the tubes, each end plug cooperating with a separate one of the corner members to facilitate rotation of its associated tube about the longitudinal axis thereof, and said locking means cooperating with at least one end plug of each roller and the associated member.

Claim 21

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said channels are shallow, each channel having oppositely disposed flanges at the mouth of the channel for retaining therein the retainer associated therewith, each retainer being wider than the distance between the flanges of its channel.